San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-19


If pretty hostess, who is determined
10 fiatter and ilirt, and who does this
better than such an accomplished wO-
man of the world as the Marchesa
fUrbinO?
st. MauT was quite as accomplished a
cavalier, and presently passing across a
window, he adroitly drew his beautiful
companion out into the terrace, at the
md of which was an arbOr built like a
miniature Greek temple! To this classic
house Guy led her.
Forgive mel" he whispered, bending
DOWN SO low that his soft breath famed
Ter cheek, but | must speak few
words to you. This contract of mar
'iage is to be signed tomorrow, is it
sOtr"
How the little hand held trembled
like bird in his warm firm clasp; how
the color went and came in the young
face, and the sweet lips faltered-she
could not meet his gaze.
"Yes, they said so-but l will re-
fuse to sign it."
1T matters not if fifty contracts are
signed" said Guy coolly, sign it, it
shall be waste paper"
She glanced fleetingly up.
"No, mol" she said, hurriedly; "why
should you trouble yourself for me, and
risk"
"Trouble-risk," he repeated passion
ately, and locking her hands in his own;
lit were happiness to die for you, Leo
nora. | loved you the first moment
saw you; when, in that terrible fire,
you chung to me, trusted me, did not
all my heart beat for you? If now you
tell me for whose love may save you
from this man, Heaven knowsl will
gladly give you to the man you love,
though my own heart should break
what matters if you were happy"
Madonna mia!" said the girl, looking
upward, with almost awe; "this is love
indeed, beyond any that | dreamed of,
or deserved. Take then, noble heart,
the life you saved-for you are" she
faltered now, the fair head dropped,
"the man | love-"
my darling, my Efel" st. Maur
locked the Venetian to his breast, and,
STOPPING, pressed his lips to hers. Mine
only, then-my wife, is it nOt?"
IF you will, Guido miol" she whis-
pered, hiding the crimson happy face
against him, "but-oh, how can l
escapep
Listen to me, sweetheart" said her
daring, reckless lover; my yacht, the
Sea Queen lies just out there, and
once aboard her, the arch fiend himself
could not catch her when she trips off
to sea; we can run into Naples, be we'd
ded by the chaplain at the English Con-
sulate, and then away to England and
home. Will you trust your Guido, dar-
ling?"
"Trust-do not l love your" she asked
simply; but how can l reach your
yacht-Annetta and II"
Easily, LeonOra, for one so brave as
you are. You know the old church of
San Carlo, and the courtyard by the
clOisters, that is close to the canal, near
the lagoon end of it,"
Yes" she looked up, wOnderingly,
they say it is haunted by the ghost of
the Countess Deltafrore; but am not
afraid of that"
81 trow not, my brave heart" said
her lover, smiling; well then, tO-mOr-
row night, at midnight, will be there
with my boat and its crew close by.
You and Annetta come there, and we
shall soon be away from your enemies,
my dear sweet one. Dress in white, be-
meath your mantle, and, if by chance
any one sees you. drop that, and you
will pass for the ghost of the COnteSSa.
She stood for minutes looking down,
twisting diamond ring on his finger
round in anervOus manner; then looked
up full into his handsome face, every
kiss of her own settling into even more
marked decision than words.
81 will meet YOU" she said, firmly,
"the MarChesa is my friend, Twill come
to spend the evening with her, attended
by my nurse, and we can escape then
with Marchesa's aid, | can also leave
with her many little things prize, and
she will send them to me-"
Twelve, then, tomorrow night" he
said; now we will rejOin the dancers"
But those jealous cleaning eyes of
Flavio Gerald saw the pair come in,
and he swOre fiercely in his evil soul
that the Englishman's life was a
doomed one. Hours later, he held a
conference with a certain well-known
desperate.
But "L'hon,me propose, maiS Dieu dis
pose"